Landscape plotting and charting device



July 3, 1934.

w. F. wlLHlTE I 1,964,753

LANDSCAPE PLOTTING AND CHARTING DEVICE' Filed Nov. 22. 1952 4 sheets-sheet 2 /llorney July 3, 1934. w. F. wxLHlTE LANDSCAPE PLOTTING AND CHARTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 LANDSCAPE PLOTTING AND CHARTING DEVICE `Filed NOV. 22, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Homey Patented Juiy 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LANDSCAPE PLTTING AND CHARTING DEVICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel portable device adapted for use by engineers, surveyors, and persons trained in similar lines of endeavor which is highly useful and practical for making charts, reproducing landscapes by sketches, and for similar panoramic work.

In carrying the principles of the inventive conception into actual practice, I have evolved and produced a simplified and economical structure which is structurally distinguishable by the incorporation therein of a vertically tiltable rotary drawing board, and a correspondingly tiltable and relatively rotatable indicator unit for co-operation therewith in a manner to facilitate reproduction in proper proportions the relative positions of subjects and objects which mark the area being sketched.

The particular structural details utilized for accomplishing these important results will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings. 1n the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the various views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a structural assembly developed in accordance with the ideas and fundamental principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view like Figure 1 observing'the structure at right angles.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional and elevational view depicting the essential parts and their relative adjustability.

Figure 5 is an elevational and sectional view of one of the parts of the indicator unit.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section of the central portion of the drawing board.

Figure 7 is an elevational View of one of the perpendicular uprights of said indicator unit.

Figure 8 is a view at right angles showing the 'same detail represented in Figure '1.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view on the vline 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a 'perspective view of one of the details.

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, .the support proper is generally denoted by the numeral 12. This is in the form of a 4foldable tripod whose legs are of customary construction and ldistinguished by the numerals 13, the legs being hingedly connected at their upper ends to 'a head 14 which functions as the base of the regulating i' `device 15. Incidentally the numerals 16 on the tripod legs represent `hangers or hooks to accommodate weighted bags or the like to facilitate maintenance of the tripod in a steady position in the wind.

The numeral 17 denotes the drawing board (Ci. :iSv-67) which is here shown as of rectangular form and provided at the exact center with a pointed pin which serves as a drawing paper holder and index 18 from which the lines of the sketches or drawings are accurately determinedv and scaled. Attached to the underside of this is a retainer comprising a disc 19 carrying a sleeve 20 turnable on the vertical shaft or spindle 21. The lower end of the sleeve is split and provided with clamping ears or lugs 22 equipped with a binding screw or bolt 23. This arrangement allows the board to be turned on a substantially vertical axis for convenience of the user in perfecting the drawlngs.

The lower end portion of the shaft is reduced as at 24 and further reduced at 25 and screwthreaded to form a shank to accommodate a hemispherical jointing element or nut 26 seated in a correspondingly shaped socket formed in the adjacent baseplate 14. Incidentally the numeral 27 designates an eye which may be utilized to accommodate a plumb-bob (not shown).

1n connection with the Vfeatures 21 and 26, the regulating device also includes a levelling plate 28 having a collar 29 surrounding the reduced end portion 24 of the shaft. The marginal portion of the plate is formed with screwthreaded holes to accommodate the screw-threaded ends 30 of the regulating or adjusting screws 31. It will be observed that the lower ends of these screws are rounded as at 32 and fulcrurned in seats provided in the co-operating bosses 33 carried by the marginal portion of the baseplate 14. For convenience of turning, the screws are provided with thumb wheels 34.

Through the instrumentality of this regulating device 15, the drawing board 17 may be properly levelled. The requisite tilting of the shaft 21 with respect to the base plate or head 14 is permitted through the agency of the jointing element 26 co-operating with said base 14.

This indicator unit may be described as a U-shaped frame whose vertical portions carry a wire or equivalent flexible element and which wire is strung to provide the horizontally disposed portion 35 arranged in spaced parallelism above the drawing board and located in alinement with the index 18. In addition however this indicator wire includes vertical portions 36 (see Figures 2 and 8) which portions constitute gauges or sights to expedite the location of distant objects and co-operate with the horizontal portion 35 and index 18 to facilitate marking and drawing the requisite reproductions on the drawing paper (not shown).

The horizontal portion 35 of the wire may be described as the indicator or marker per se and the U-shaped frame as a carrier therefor. Also, the diametrically opposed vertical strands or portions 36 of the wire may be designated as the vertical sights or gauges, whichever is preferable. Manifestly, these features and 36 are relatively fixed with respect to each other and suitably attached to the frame so as to move with the frame in order to permit said features to be adjusted independently of the drawing board.

The aforesaid U-shaped carrier frame is made up of a T-shaped coupling whose vertical branch 37 (see Figures 1 and 4) is rotatably mounted on the shaft 21 and whose horizontal branches 38 form sockets for reception of a pair of horizontal radiating tubes 39.

The tubes 39 form receptacles for telescopic reception of a pair of duplicate L-shaped members 40 which carry a pair of duplicate uprights 41. The T-shaped coupling is formed with a clamping screw 42 and the receptacles 39 are provided with similar screws 43 to permit disassembling and adjustment of the uprights 41 toward and from each other.

The uprights, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and separately distinguished by the numerals 44 are of inverted U-shaped form and have their arm portions clamped to couplings 45 which are in turn clamped as at 46 to the L-shaped connecting members 40. The numerals 47 and 48 merely designate screws to which the indicator wire or cord connect.

This arrangement permits the uprights 41 to be raised or lowered with respect to the connecting members 40 to allow the indicator 35 to be moved toward and from the drawing board.

It may be of importance to'mention that the numeral 49 in Figures 1 and 2 merely designates a phantom or dotted line representation of conventional surveyors transit instrument provided with means 50 whereby it may be associated with the uprights 41 for use in measuring and charting far distant objects. The drawing board is primarily used for plotting comparatively small areas.

The gist of the invention is found in the use and adaptation of a collapsible tripod as a support for the spindle or shaft 21 whose angularity may be successfully maintained through proper adjustment of the jointing nut 26; together with the horizontal drawing board which is rotatable on the shaft and tiltable with the shaft for proper levelling.

The shaft serves the additional function of maintenance means for the indicator unit which unit, as before stated, is tiltable in unison with the shaft and independently rotatable on the shaft to permit the marker 35 and gauges 36 to be adjusted relatively to the drawing board. Consequently, I have evolved and produced a simplified assembly of properly co-related structural features which serve adequately in finding and accurately reproducing objects and contours occurring on landscapes, building tracts, and similar areas.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A structure of the class described comprising a tripod, a substantially vertical shaft mounted upon the headvof said tripod, a drawing board mounted `for rotation on the upper end of the shaft and provided with a central index, an indicator unit comprising a substantially U-shaped frame mounted for independent rotation on said shaft, and a horizontal marker carried by the arms of said frame in spaced parallelism above and'adjacent said drawing board and in substantial alinement with said index for the purposes described.

2. A structure of the class described comprising a tripod, a spindle-forming shaft adjustably connected with the upper portion of the tripod, a substantially horizontal drawing board, means for rotatably connecting the board with the shaft, said drawing board being provided at the center of its top with an index pin, a substantially U-shaped frame embodying a coupling rotatably mounted on the shaft at a point between the drawing board and upper end portion of said tripod, and a flexible element stretched across the top of the drawing board in spaced parallelism thereto, and having its end portions rising at right angles and attached to the uprights of said U-shaped frame, whereby to permit the horizontal portion of the flexible element to function as a marker for co-operation with the index, and said end portions to function as perpendicular sighting elements.

3. A device of the class described comprising a tripod provided at its top with a head, a substantially vertical spindle forming shaft adjustably connected at its lower end to said head to permit the shaft to be tilted with respect to a predetermined perpendicular line, an approximately horizontal drawing board mounted for rotation on the upper end of said shaft and provided with a central pointed pin constituting a paper centering and retaining element and an index from which the lines of the drawings are scaled and charted, a substantially U-shaped carrier frame having its horizontal portion provided with a coupling rotatably mounted upon the intermediate portion of said shaft, the end portions of said frame constituting uprights and rising above the surface of the drawing board and each being provided with upper and lower retention screws, a flexible element stretched across the top of the drawing board in spaced parallelism and in approximate alinement with said index pin to function as a marker, the end portions of said flexible element being attached to the screws carried by said uprights and constituting sighting elements.

4. A structure of the class described comprising an upright supporting member including a vertical shaft mounted upon the upper end of said supporting member, a drawing board detachably and rotatably mounted upon the shaft, a substantially U-shaped frame having its bight rotatably and detachably connected with the shaft and extending under the drawing board with its arms vertically arranged and spaced from opposite sides of the board, means for adjusting the length of the bight part of the U-shaped frame, means for adjusting the length of each arm of the frame, each arm having a longitudinal slot therein, a exible member carried by the arms of said frame and having a part extending between the arms, over the board and other parts vertically arranged and located in the slots and spaced from the inner walls of the slots and means for supporting the flexible member from the arms of the U-shaped frame,

WARREN F. WILHITE. 

